CSKA Almaty

CSKA Almaty are a football club from Kazakhstan, carrying a name that will not be part of the usual domestic shorthand for most Celtic supporters. That alone gives any meeting a different texture: less about inherited rivalry, more about dealing properly with an unfamiliar opponent.

For Celtic, the relevance is straightforward. CSKA Almaty represent Kazakh football, and any fixture against them would require attention to the practical realities of facing a side from a different footballing environment rather than reliance on reputation or routine.